I am a succubus, and during my heat cycle, I must have sex with a partner to survive.

I unexpectedly saved a serpentfolk man, a species renowned in the beast-kin world for possessing the most potent sexual prowess of all.

I leveraged the favor to make him help me through my heat as an incubus.

But just as I was clinging to him again, scrolling comments appeared before my eyes — and I discovered I was the villainess in a novel.

The male lead secretly despised me. The real heroine was about to appear.

And once he recovered his memories, I'd be tossed aside.

So I decided to divorce him. But my serpent husband didn't seem to agree with that plan.

I am a succubus, and during my heat cycle, I must have sex with a partner to survive.

After rescuing a serpentfolk man, a species renowned in the beast-kin world for possessing the most potent sexual prowess of all, I used the favor to make him help me through my heat.

And just as I was clinging to him again, begging him to take care of my needs, a stream of scrolling comments flashed before my eyes:

[The villainess doesn't even realize she's been hate-sexed this whole time! The male lead despises her for defiling his body!]

[The heroine was THIS close to meeting the male lead first! It's all the villainess's fault for intercepting him!]

[Every single time they do it, the male lead is actually thinking about the heroine! Thank god the villainess is about to be written off!]

[Once the male lead recovers his memories, the first person he'll punish is the villainess — he'll throw her into a pit of beastfolk during her heat...]

So I was nothing but the villainess in some novel.

My hand, which had been sliding downward, froze.

I looked at Jace, his eyes glazed and half-lidded, and quickly pulled his pants back up.

"Um... I think we should practice some restraint."

Jace's breathing was ragged. He looked at me.

"Selene, what are you up to now?"

The corners of his eyes were flushed, and when his Adam's apple bobbed, I could see the fine beads of sweat clinging to it.

I swallowed hard, dragging my gaze away from the open collar of his shirt.

"I think... we should practice some restraint."

Jace narrowed his eyes.

Those serpentine pupils contracted in the dim light — dangerous and magnetic.

"Restraint?"

"Who was it that wanted it three times a day?"

Me: ...

God, why did he have to remember that?

I pushed him away, burrowed into the blankets, and replayed what the comments had said.

I'd always known Jace felt nothing for me.

That day, during my heat, I'd found him on the road — injured. I brought him home and used the opportunity to get through my heat.

As it turned out, he'd lost his memory. So I told him I was his human wife.

He clearly didn't buy it, but every time my heat came around, he'd dutifully "help me out."

I thought we were both enjoying ourselves. After all, maybe we'd develop real feelings if we kept at it long enough.

But the comments were right. There was no "maybe."

After Jace recovered his memories, not only did he not fall for me — he despised me.

He even threw me into a pit of beastfolk during my heat.

Though the signs had always been there.

Every time my heat hit, I was the one forcing him.

Making him wear the clothes I liked. Making him use the positions I preferred.

Every single time, he'd lie there with a furrowed brow and let me have my way.

Deep down, he'd never wanted any of it.

The more I thought about it, the angrier I got.

That ungrateful snake — I was going to divorce him!

The next day, I marched straight to the Beastfolk Civil Affairs Bureau to inquire about divorce proceedings.

The fox clerk behind the counter gave me a look.

"Didn't you two just get married a few months ago? Already calling it quits?"

I gave an awkward laugh. "Bedroom incompatibility. You know how it is."

The fox's eyes lit up. "Oh, do I ever! My ex only had a micropenis — the suffering was real. Don't tell me yours is the same?"

[Micropenis? The male lead would laugh if he heard that.]

[Is the villainess finally coming to her senses? About time she let the male lead go.]

[She's probably just playing hard to get. When has an incubus ever had good intentions?]

I nodded along. "Exactly. When you're not compatible in that department, it's just misery."

As I said it, I thought back to the first time I'd seen Jace's dick.

I've never seen one that huge.

Our sex life had been anything but incompatible.

Granted, it was entirely one-sided coercion on my part.

But you could tell — both parties were plenty satisfied with each other.

Too bad I'd never get to enjoy it again.

I sighed. A second later, my phone rang.

Jace.

"Where are you? I'll come pick you up."

Before I could answer, the booming sound of the ticket-number system blared through the speaker.

Then came Jace's icy voice:

"You're at the Civil Affairs Bureau?"

He arrived ten minutes later. Silence hung in the car for a long moment after I got in.

Jace spoke first.

"What were you doing there?"

It wasn't the right time to bring up the divorce, so I lied.

"We've been married for a while now. The Bureau requires periodic reviews of marital status."

"Jace, what do you think of our marriage?"

His gaze darkened, and he said flatly:

"Nothing in particular."

Just as I thought. He didn't care about our marriage. He didn't care about me.

After saying that, he leaned over to buckle my seatbelt.

I flinched and dodged away.

Before, I would've stolen a kiss and copped a feel of his abs.

But now, if I did anything out of line, I'd probably be tossed into a pit of beastfolk any minute.

He narrowed his eyes. "Selene, what's gotten into you today?"

I fumbled for the window switch.

"Nothing! Hey, nice weather today, don't you think? Ha ha."

He straightened up and started the car.

What he said next made my heart skip.

"When we get home, let's finish what we started last night."

"You incubi hate leaving things half-done, don't you?"

The first time we'd been together, Jace had — for some reason — stopped halfway and left.

I'd been furious. Chased him down and pinned him against the wall.

Told him I was his savior. That the word "halfway" didn't exist in an incubus's dictionary.

I told him: if you're a man, you finish what you start. No quitting midway.

It wasn't until later that I understood — he hadn't quit. He was afraid I couldn't handle it.

After all, serpentfolk have two penises.

From that point on, Jace never said another word about our sex activities.

He just did it. Cold-faced.

Thinking back to that scene, I was mortified.

So I turned to him with the most sincere expression I could manage.

"I feel like I'm still pretty full from last time. No need for now."

Jace said nothing.

He hit the gas, and the car shot forward like a bullet.

Back home, Jace crouched down out of habit, reaching to change my shoes.

I used to love this part — watching his long, elegant fingers grip my ankle, carefully easing my foot into a slipper.

All cold-faced and dutiful, the perfect husband.

I'd seize the moment to run my hand up his abs and watch him struggle to keep his composure.

His voice would go low and rough, and he'd scold me under his breath.

"Selene, don't start something here."

I'd giggle, pushing it further.

Things always spiraled out of control after that.

But now, his touch made me flinch.

His hand hovered in midair, then slowly withdrew.

"I'll do it myself."

I crouched down, fumbling with my shoelaces. "I'm not a child. You don't have to do this every time."

Jace stood, looking down at me.

"Selene, something's off with you."

I forced a smile. "No, it isn't."

He was quiet for a beat, then suddenly said:

"There's a banquet tomorrow. Want to come?"

My fingers froze on the laces.

I used to beg him to take me to these events. I wanted the whole world to know this gorgeous serpent husband belonged to me.

But now, comments streamed across my vision:

[Tomorrow? Isn't that when the male lead's first love shows up?]

[In the original novel, this is the banquet where the male lead hears a certain name and starts recovering his memories!]

[The real heroine is finally making her entrance! Can't wait!]

[Go on, villainess, say yes! Go watch your man fall for someone else in person!]

I bit my lip.

"I... think I'll pass."

Jace raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"I'd just be in the way."

I stood and mustered a smile. "I don't know anything about your business dealings. I'd just be bored."

He didn't respond. He just looked at me.

His gaze was heavy, and it made me squirm.

"Fine."

He turned and walked into the bedroom.

That night, I lay in bed, tossing and turning.

My head was full of what the comments had said.

After tomorrow, Jace would start recovering his memories.

He'd remember who he was. He'd remember the woman he truly loved.

And then he'd hate me.

Throw me into a pit of beastfolk.

I pulled the blankets tighter. It felt cold, suddenly.

Just then, the bedroom door swung open.

In the moonlight, Jace stood in the doorway wearing the white shirt I'd bought him.

Collar open, revealing sculpted collarbones. Sleeves rolled to the elbows, forearms lean and powerful.

My heart skipped a beat.

That shirt was my favorite. When I'd bought it, I'd practically forced him to model it for me.

He'd frowned and said it was too tight, but I'd pinned him down and made him put it on.

Every time my heat came after that, I made him wear it.

Now here he was, wearing it, standing in my doorway.

"You... what are you doing?" I shrank deeper into the blankets.

He walked in and sat on the edge of the bed.

"Are you upset?"

"About what?"

"Going to the Bureau today. Not letting me touch you."

He paused. "Is it because I came home late?"

I shook my head.

"Then what is it?"

I opened my mouth, but no words came.

I couldn't exactly say "because you're going to throw me into a pit of beastfolk in the future."

He leaned over me, one hand braced on the pillow beside my head.

The collar of the white shirt fell open, and I caught a glimpse of the smooth muscle beneath.

The incubus in me was restless.

My fingertips itched, aching to slip inside. I barely held back.

"Jace, it's late. Go to bed."

But his hand slid under the blanket and found my tail with unerring precision.

An incubus's tail is the most sensitive part of the body.

A violent shiver ripped through me.

"Jace!"

"Don't move."

His voice dropped low. His fingers traced up from the tip of my tail. "Every time you lie, your tail shivers."

I went rigid.

His voice carried a trace of roughness. "You've been lying all day. Why?"

I tried to pull my tail back, but he held it firm.

"Talk."

I bit my lip, staring at his face inches from mine, my voice trembling.

"Jace, do you... like me?"

The air went still.

I watched his eyes, waiting for an answer.

But he said nothing. He lowered his head and kissed me.

The thread of reason in my brain snapped.

Incubus instinct won over logic.

I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him back.

He let out a low groan and pressed me into the mattress.

The white shirt was crumpled beyond saving, two buttons popped open. His breath was scalding against the side of my neck.

His voice, low and rough:

"Selene, what the hell has gotten into you?"

I didn't answer. I just pressed my lips to his throat.

His body went rigid, then his arms tightened around me.

We went at it until very late that night.

By the end, I was too spent to keep my eyes open. All I remember is him pulling me into his arms, fingers combing through my hair again and again.

His voice was barely a whisper.

"Stop running away. I don't like it."

But I was already too far gone, and only caught the last few words.

I woke the next morning to an empty bed.

I reached for the spot beside me — still warm.

My phone buzzed.

It was the fox clerk.

"Ms. Selene, didn't you say you were coming in for a divorce yesterday? You never showed! Are you still coming today?"

My brain was still foggy. I mumbled:

"Today..."

"Coming where?"

A voice behind me.

I whipped around. Jace stood in the doorway, holding a glass of water.

He was wearing that wrinkled white shirt, collar still open, a red mark visible above his collarbone.

I swallowed.

On the phone, the fox was still talking: "Hello? Ms. Selene? Are you still coming in today?"

Jace stepped closer, leaned down, and took my phone.

His tone was perfectly calm:

"She's not going today."

He hung up.

Then he set the phone on my pillow and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"Sleep a little longer. I'll make breakfast."

I watched his retreating figure, mind blank.

What did that mean?

Did he not know I was going there for a divorce?

Or did he know and was pretending not to?

I chewed my lip. He was the one who'd said he didn't like me last night.

My phone buzzed again.

A message from the fox clerk: [What's going on, Ms. Selene?? Your husband picked up?? I thought you said he had a micropenis??]

I stared at the message, remembering last night.

My face turned scarlet.

I typed back: [Misunderstanding. He has a huge one.]

The fox replied instantly: [??? Then why are you getting divorced??]

I stared at the screen, at a loss for how to answer.

When I looked up, Jace had already left the house. He hadn't even given me his usual goodbye kiss.